'Libertad y el Estado Absolutista: Bartolomé de las Casas y su noción de "vasallos libres"'

In 1542, Las Casas writes to the King, Carlos V:

[…] que Vuestra Majestad ordene y mande y constituya con la susodicha majestad y solemnidad en solemnes Cortes, por sus premáticas sanciones e leyes reales, que todos los indios que hay en todas las Indias, asi los que de aquí adelante se subjetaren, se pongan y reduzgan y encorporen en la corona real de Castilla y León, en cabeza de Vuestra Majestad, como súbditos y vasallos libres que son, y ningunos estén encomendados a cristianos españoles, antes sea inviolableconstitución, determinación y ley real, que ni agora ni ningún tiempo jamás perpetuamente puedan ser sacados ni enajenados de la dicha corona real, ni dados a nadie por vasallos ni encomendados, ni dados en feudo, ni en encomienda, ni en depósito ni por otro ningún título ni modo o manera de enajenamiento o sacar de la dicha corona real por servicio que nadie haga, ni merescimientos que tenga ni necesidad que ocurra, ni causa o color alguna otra que se ofrezca o se pretenda.

In the citation above, three important levels of reality—ideological, political, and economic—are simultaneously and dialectically in play here. To fully comprehend "vasallos libres," we must deconstruct these levels.

In this essay, we will engage in a brief discussion of the conceptions of freedom reflected in the writings of Fray Bartolomé de las Casas (1474-1566), the "Defender of the Indians." To better understand his texts, we will examine the economic, ideological, and political layers underlying his ideas. Specifically we will discuss the notion of "vasallos libres" and its dialectical relationship to the developing Absolutist State of 16th century Spain and its attempts to assert its politico-economic influence throughout the New World.

As demonstrated by his writings, Las Casas devised a scheme to alleviate the exploitation that was destroying indigenous communities throughout the colonies. Las Casas emphasized that they were neither to be serfs nor slaves of the conquistadors, but "vasallos libres," or free vassals directly under the protection of the Crown in exchange for loyal service and tribute. If the encomenderos were to utilize the labor of the Indians, they were to pay them wages in exchange for their hard work. Las Casas proposed economic plans that said how much the Indians should work, who should work, when they should work, how much they should be compensated for their labor, and how the quantity and quality of their labor should be determined. The Indians are to be justly compensated and given the social liberties that all Christian communities are entitled to. They are, in turn, to be set free as free vassals of the Royal Crown and rewarded "cierta cantidad de dineros cada año" by the Spanish settlers because they are loyal subjects of the King himself.

The term "vasallos libres" and Las Casas’ economic proposals deserve much scrutiny because they seem to be ahead of their time. As we will discover in upcoming sections, however, they are in perfect communion with the ideals forged by the sociopolitical and economic conditions of 16th Spain and its colonies.

Víctor Rosado